Front Matter

Macedonian Struggle For Independence

By Risto Stefov Macedonian Struggle For Independence

Part 1 – Introduction

Macedonia’s history begins 1,000 years before Christ with a tiny kingdom located near modern day Kostur. It has been said that its first king was Karan (Caranus), most likely a tribal king. The tiny kingdom was obscure and backwards until about the fifth century BC when Alexander I became king and made considerable expansions adding both territory and people to his kingdom. Macedonia however, was still an ordinary place until the fourth century BC when Philip II became its ruler. In his short life Philip II expanded Macedonia’s territory, unified the various tribes he conquered and made great political, economic and military strides which transformed Macedonia from an ordinary state into a super power. Then under Alexander III’s rule, better known as Alexander the Great, Macedonia was transformed into an empire spanning from Eastern Europe to the western borders of China and engulfing most of the then known world. Unfortunately after Alexander III’s death the Macedonian empire broke up and several centuries later, it fell into foreign hands. Ever since then Macedonia has been invaded and occupied many times by many conquerors and subsequently the Macedonian people have been struggling to free themselves. This is a story of a long struggle that begins with the Roman occupation in the first century BC and continues to this day. It has been a silent struggle drowned out by the louder voices of Macedonia’s neighbours who now hold Macedonian lands and proclaim the Macedonian struggles never happened because Macedonians don’t exist. In the chapters that follow the reader will discover that Macedonians do indeed exist and have existed for many centuries not only in name but also as actors in a never ending struggle for freedom and the desire to live unconstrained lives. Macedonia’s history includes wars, battles, rebellions and uprisings waged by ordinary people which more often than not have resulted in tragedy. Yet the Macedonian spirit persists over and over again as history has shown, believing that it is better to struggle and fail than to forever live in bondage. This sprit was never more alive than during the 1903 Ilinden National Uprising when ordinary people came together and took up arms against a greater foe, throwing themselves into battle under the slogan “Liberty or Death”. “The Ilinden rising, declared on 2nd August 1903, will always arouse admiration in the hearts of later generations since its powerful exploits and romantic heroism are above all expressions of that intense will for freedom and the desire for national and political independence which sum up all the

Macedonian ethnic characteristics.” (Pages 43 and 44, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) “The Ilinden rising is an achievement of great importance for the Macedonian people. There are things in it which stagger the imagination and cause this general insurrection to be ranked as a great historical event. The whole people rose with a frenzied, irresistible urge for immediate freedom. The Macedonian people’s faith made them believe in their creative possibilities, for only a people strong in spirit is able to pluck up courage and with full confidence venture on a historic undertaking. Through this courageous rising, unique of its kind for noble daring, the Macedonia people expressed not only its love of freedom and justice, but also its moral power. This rising remains even today an unrepeatable human attack and an act of supreme self-sacrifice for a people’s freedom.” (Page 46, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) The Macedonian spirit rose again in the 1940’s and Macedonians again took up arms to liberate and reunite their Macedonia. Unfortunately that struggle too went unrewarded, not for lack of trying on the part of the Macedonian people but simply because it was not to be. Macedonians however, did succeed in one respect, they formed their own republic inside the Yugoslav federation and thanks to that success today they have their own sovereign and independent state, the Republic of Macedonia. This however is not the end of the story, it is only the beginning. “Although they have suffered greatly, Macedonians know no fear before storms and precipices. Their determination to attain their aspirations has been tried and proved inflexible. In their drive towards the future and in their development, firmly rooted in their glorious past, the Macedonians stride forward with sure steps, proud and self-confident. Their heads are held high, their moral strength is great, their faith is invincible.” (Page 31, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) Long live all true sons of Macedonia who fight for justice and freedom!